CPI(M) slams Modi over removal of bureaucrats

Kolkata: The CPI(M) today targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the “abrupt removal” of bureaucrats in the Central government, saying it only bred uncertainty about job security.

Rajiv Mehrishi was appointed as Union Home Secretary replacing L C Goyal whose tenure abruptly ended 17 months before the completion of his two-year tenure.

First, it was Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh, then SPG chief K Durga Prasad and now Home Secretary L C Goyal, the party said in an editorial in party mouthpiece “Ganashakti”.

“A dissent in brewing among bureaucrats in the central government. This abrupt removal of bureaucrats proves that no officer has a job security. Any day he can either be asked to take voluntary retirement or be fired,” the editorial said.

The party pointed out that there were allegations that the government was not taking into confidence senior bureaucrats of respective departments.

“It came into the fore after the Home Secretary said he is not aware of the nitty gritties of Naga accord. In the last one year, several senior officials of Railways, Human Resource development, Road transport had been abruptly removed or transferred either they were not like by the respective minister, prime Minister or the RSS,” the editorial said.

The editorial went on to claim, “From the very beginning it was noticed that the Prime Minister had tried to control the bureaucrats. Secondly, mostly IAS officers of the Gujarat cadre are being brought in and placed in senior positions. But the question is who is controlling the scenes from behind. Is it Modi or the RSS?”

Goyal had taken over as Home Secretary nearly seven months back on February 5 in place of Anil Goswami who was sacked after he allegedly tried to prevent the CBI from arresting former Union Minister Matang Sinh in connection with Saradha chit fund scam case.

Earlier, Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh was eased out of her office in January, six months before the completion of her two-year tenure.